An Engagement in Time
by Silence Dobad
Summary: Cole Olson wakes up nearly 500 years in the past with no memory of how he got there and no idea of how to get back. His life changes drastically when he becomes involved with royalty, but finds it difficult to act on those feelings in the 16th century.


**Chapter One**

_The Woods_

**Part 1**

Cole Olson stood in the middle of a small clearing, surrounded by what he thought were tall oaks—although admittedly, he had little experience from which to judge. The sun was just managing to clear the thick canopy overhead and cast shadows around the perimeter. Thick shrubs enveloped most of the right side, and it appeared that someone else had been there recently as a dark circle of ashes lay near his feet.

Cole looked down again at his phone. The words _No Service_ remained, glaring at him. It wasn't so much the desolation that was beginning to cause panic inside of him. It was the fact that he had no memory of how he had came to be there. He turned around in a circle surveying the area from all sides. No change. Cole could see nothing but trees and growth as far as his gaze carried. He slipped the phone in his pocket and headed towards the far side of the clearing.

It was here he noticed the path. Not a well-maintained one by any means, but definitely a distinguishable path moving on from the clearing and winding into the woods in front of him.

Cole ran a hand through his light brown hair. It was cut fairly short and complemented his dark brown eyes and tan skin. What to do? He had never been in such a setting in his entire life, not to mention a similar situation.

Cole had gone camping with his father once when he was about ten years old, but they had stayed in the well-maintained grounds at the state park, sleeping in an air-conditioned camper his father had borrowed from a friend at work. Cole hadn't wanted to go at all and had complained relentlessly. Now, he smiled at the memory. The smile slipped from his lips, however, as the current situation returned to the front of his mind.

He tried to remember the last thing he had done, but the memories were hazy. Had he been drinking with friends and had too much? Perhaps he had run out in the woods in some sort of drunken stupor? It was doubtful, though. Cole lived near the city—there were no woods close by.

Had he been brought here by someone? The idea made the hair on his neck strand up, and he turned around again to survey the clearing behind him. Empty.

He weighed his options. He could stay in the clearing and hope that if someone had brought him there they would return and be friend not foe. Or he could chance the path and see where it led him. As Cole contemplated, he watched a squirrel descend from a tree to his left and dash towards the path, eventually disappearing beyond the trees. That was good enough for him. The path it was.

A last glance at his useless phone showed no change. He shut it off to save the battery and took one last look at the clearing. Even though there was nothing there, Cole felt a little uneasy leaving. At least this was a somewhat defined space. He was headed into the oblivion.

No. He was following a path. It was different, and it was the only option that made sense. He tore his eyes from the spot and began walking.

**Part 2**

Cole had been at it for well over an hour when he decided to rest in frustration.

The _path_, a term he now used loosely, had so far not provided any signs of escape from the forest or any type of civilization within.

It had been pretty easy going at first, but the further from the clearing he travelled, the less defined the path seemed to become. Often, Cole wasn't sure whether he was still following it or just another depression in the ground. His eyes were tired from straining, and he had to double back more than once.

He stretched his legs away from the fallen log he was sitting on and surveyed the scratches on them. If he had known he was coming on this trip, he had not planned well because khaki shorts were a mistake. Cole silently cursed his "former conscious self" for this betrayal. The fact he was wearing tennis shoes was the only saving grace.

The woods here looked no different from before. It was still mostly oaks with quite a bit of brush on the ground. Although now that he looked, it did appear the trees were thinning out a little.

In his twenty years, Cole had never once gone on a hiking trip. Luckily, he did usually play basketball with his friends a few times a week, so he wasn't too winded. Still, his t-shirt clung to his muscled chest with sweat. His spirits couldn't help, but be down.

What was that Stephen King book he had read about the kid stuck out in the woods? Cole felt like that character now, but without the special powers or interesting plot twists to help him out.

That's when he heard it.

It was so soft at first, he thought he was imagining it, but it grew louder until he was sure it was real. A constant thumping was getting closer and closer. Cole recognized it as the sound of a horse. He stood up and looked around wildly unsure of what to do.

He had the sudden urge to hide himself. He had no idea who could be coming. On the other hand, what could really be worse than dying out here alone?

He moved towards the path and stood directly to the side of it looking towards the approaching gallops.

Cole didn't have to wait long. About a minute later, a massive white horse turned the corner and approached rapidly—a little too rapidly for his tastes. The rider did not see Cole until he was nearly upon him, so he passed and slowed, turning the horse around and approached.

"You there!" he shouted, stopping the horse a few feet from Cole.

Cole stared. It was a cross between captivation and apprehension. The rider was impressive. He was quite tall and looked young, probably close to Cole in age. He had a strong jaw and well-defined features. Blond hair fell around his ears. He was wearing a royal blue jacket with tight riding pants. A large gold emblem occupied the left breast of the jacket, but Cole didn't recognize it. It certainly didn't look like any brand he had seen before. In fact, something seemed off about the whole ensemble. It didn't help his uneasy feeling that a large sword also swung from the rider's belt.

"Who are you?" the rider asked. "What are you doing out here?"

"Uhh," Cole hesitated. "My…my name is Cole. I'm lost. I can't get out of this forest."

"Lost?" the rider questioned. "And on foot?" He narrowed his blazing blue eyes in obvious doubt, looking Cole up and down slowly. He apparently decided Cole was no immediate threat, because he quickly threw his leg over the saddle and dropped to the ground. He patted the horse's neck as he moved towards Cole.

"Well, you'll never get out headed this direction. Harper's Woods runs north for practically 400 miles. Everyone knows that."

Cole had a bad feeling in his gut. He couldn't quite understand what was happening, but he knew something was wrong. He could barely keep the rider's gaze he felt so helpless.

"I'm not from around here." Cole said.

"No?" he responded "Where are you from?"

"California."

The rider smiled at this strange word, his white teeth reflecting a ray of sun breaking through from above.

"I've never heard of such a place. Is it in the kingdom?"

"The kingdom?" Cole questioned.

The rider's eyes narrowed again.

"Yes." He said. "England…the great empire?"

"So, I'm in England." Cole said, more to himself than anything.

This was a pleasant surprise. Cole had studied abroad in London only a year earlier and had loved it. How he had gotten back to England was as big of a mystery as ever, though.

"Oh, of course." Cole said. "England. " He tried to pass it off as well as he could. For some reason, he didn't want the rider to realize just how strange the situation was.

The rider's face showed doubt, but he seemed to decide to let it slide.

"I'm Henry." He said.

"Cole." Cole said, extending his hand.

Henry looked at Cole's hand for a moment before seeming to realize the gesture. He removed his riding glove and grasped Cole's hand.

"So you're alone?" Henry asked. "How do you find yourself all of the way out here?"

"Well," Cole hesitated. "To be honest, I can't really remember."

"Oh, I see. Well, that explains the confusion." Henry smiled again.

Cole didn't know why, but he instantly trusted Henry. There was something about him. Something in those eyes that made you feel comfortable. He was obviously from money. His jacket, the horse, that sword. _That sword_. It stuck out to Cole. Even if Henry was some wealthy Englishman who rode horses and played polo, did anyone really still carry a sword?

"Your sword," Cole said, before he could stop himself.

Henry looked strangely down to his side and then back at Cole. Misunderstanding Cole's words simply as interest, he lifted the sword from its sheath to give him a better look. The sword was quite long, nearly 22 inches. It had a massive gold hilt encrusted with large red gems that looked like rubies. It also had the same insignia on it as the jacket.

"Why do you carry a sword?" Cole asked.

"Why?" Henry repeated slowly. "What kind of gentleman does not carry a sword?"

Cole didn't know what to say. The uneasy feeling that had been growing inside of him got heavier. The old-fashioned dress, the horse—it wasn't adding up.

"Do you get cell service out here?" Cole asked. "I haven't been able to get anything since I woke up."

Henry hesitated, reading Cole's face carefully.

"I'm sorry," he finally said. "I'm not sure what you're asking."

A small fear began to grip Cole.

"What day is it?"

"I believe it's Friday." Henry said.

"No, what's the actual date?"

"The twenty-third of May."

"2011?"

Henry repeated the words two thousand and eleven slowly, as if trying to make sense of a complex translation. He frowned.

"It's the year of our lord, fifteen hundred and eighty-one," Henry said. "It has been for some time."

Cole hit the ground on his knees. What the hell was happening to him? Was this some sort of sick joke? If only he could remember how he got there. He'd never been so frustrated in his life. Now that he thought about it, it made sense though. No cell service. And Henry wasn't riding a horse for sport—he was riding a horse for transportation.

Henry knelt down beside him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"No," Cole replied. "I think I'm actually in pretty big trouble."

**Part 3**

Henry had tried to question Cole further, but seemed to accept it when Cole said he simply could not explain.

Henry walked over to his horse and took a canteen out from his bag. He came back and sat down next to Cole handing it to him.

"So, what are you doing out here?" Cole asked.

"I've been on a hunting expedition for nearly two weeks," Henry said. "I separated from my group to hunt a rare black fox. We're supposed to meet tomorrow at Elmsley's Cross and then head home."

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Cole's mind was racing. Not only was he far from home in distance, but also in time. This was really turning into a shit show. He wondered how he had gotten there and how he would ever get back.

"I need to get riding again soon," Henry said. "I'm willing to take you with me. At least get you out of the woods."

Cole nodded.

"Thanks," he said. "I'd appreciate it more than you know."

Henry stood and Cole followed. They walked over to the huge white horse, and Henry pulled himself up effortlessly. He offered his hand to Cole who took it and positioned himself behind Henry. He had never ridden a horse before, so he was slightly nervous. Henry must have sensed it because he told Cole to move closer and hold on tightly to his sides.

The natural attraction Cole had to Henry became clear to him at that moment. Sliding that close behind him made Cole's stomach jump.

They rode in silence for a time until the horse came upon a familiar sight—the clearing. Cole grabbed Henry's shoulder and shouted for him to stop. He slipped off the back of the horse and looked around. He explained that this was where he had woken up, confused and alone.

"This is common camping spot," Henry said. "Although sleeping this close to the path is precarious. Thieves prey on travellers in these woods."

Cole walked around the clearing as if looking for clues, even though he had no idea of what to look for. He was rewarded, however when he came upon something strange. It was lying on the ground where the grass was depressed from Cole's earlier sleeping form. He picked up and examined what appeared to be a small silver disk about the size of a silver dollar. It had the same look as the shiny side of a CD, but it was solid—no hole.

Henry came over and took the little disc in his strong hands.

"I've never seen anything like it," he said. He turned it over several times before passing it back.

"Do you know what it is?"

Cole slipped it in his pocket and shook his head. He had no idea what it was, but he knew the time period it came from, and it wasn't recent.

He made a sudden decision. Cole barely knew Henry, but he needed to trust someone with the information of his sudden appearance here almost 500 years before he was born. He knew it would sound insane, but he had to try.

Henry sat stoic and listened to Cole tell his tale. It wasn't long—just complicated. Cole explained that he had woken up in the woods with no memory of how he had come to be and after their earlier discussion realized he had somehow time travelled backward, a feat many scientists thought impossible.

Henry was polite, but skeptical. He said that Cole had probably just been ill or perhaps had been robbed and beaten and lost his real memory. Cole looked away trying to think of a way to convince him when he felt his cell phone pressing against his front pocket. He immediately took it out and turned it on. Cole brought up photos from a spring break trip he had taken with friends to Cancun and passed the phone to Henry.

"Have you ever seen a device like this?" Cole asked.

Henry took it and his eyes went wide while he looked at the image on the screen. He shook it. Were these little people? He didn't understand.

Cole explained the concept of cameras and pictures and then spent the better part of an hour explaining how one actually uses a cell phone. When he finished, Cole didn't know if he had made a convincing argument or simply proved his madness, but Henry was stunned. One could not just fabricate these incredible inventions and stories.

"What is the future like?" Henry asked, eyes gleaming with excitement.

Cole laughed. "So you believe me?"

"I do. I sensed there was something different about you right from the beginning, and my intuition was more than correct."

Cole wasn't sure why, but having Henry believe him felt like a huge weight off his shoulders. Even though it didn't really help his situation, it felt good to know he was not alone in this strange, new, old world.

"What is England like in the future?" Henry asked. "Is it still a great nation?"

Cole thought about that for a minute. Expectation showed on Henry's face.

"Well, uh…yes. It's still a great nation. Things are very different in the future. It's hard to explain."

He left it at that. He didn't want to crush Henry's pride of the British Empire. It was still growing rapidly in the 1500's where Cole found himself.

By the time they had finished their conversation, it was getting late. On Henry's advice, they moved off of the trail and made camp a little further into the woods. Henry had several blankets and supplies stowed in bags strapped to his horse. They made a small fire and cooked fish that Henry had caught that morning.

Eventually, they lay down to sleep only a few feet from each other. Henry faced out into the forest. Cole couldn't help but watch Henry's tall form glowing in what was left of the fire light.

Henry must have sensed Cole's gaze, because he turned over and met Cole's eyes. Cole quickly rolled onto his back in embarrassment, but out of the corner of his eye he thought he saw a smirk on Henry's face.

**Look for the Next Chapter: The Castle**

_Coming Soon_


End file.
